Damaging Winds and Lightning Strikes in Iowa, June 10, 1999

The synoptic weather situation remained much the same as it had been over the past few days with a very slow moving cold front oriented northeast to southwest across northwest Iowa. The front stalled during the late night hours. Another upper level disturbance lifted northeast in the southwest flow aloft that was in place over the central U.S. An area of thunderstorms developed to the southwest of Iowa and lifted northeast into the state. The storms took on a bow echo configuration as they lifted over south central and central Iowa. There were numerous reports of gusty winds and marble size hail, however most of the winds remained below severe levels. High winds were reported with the storms as they moved through Madison County, with 70 to 80 MPH winds reported south of Winterset. As the storms moved through the Red Rock Reservoir area, winds of 70 to 80 MPH caused tree damage in the area. The storms moved into central Iowa by mid day. They had weakened, but lightning from the storms struck a church in Urbandale causing a small fire in the buildings roof and attic. Damage was set between $5,000 and $10,000. Lightning struck a tree outside of a mobile home in Indianola. The tree crashed down onto the mobile home, smashing through the roof and wall and injuring one resident inside. She sustained only minor injuries.